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(Kali Linux) VerUpgrade

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[Kali Linux] VerUpgrade


🎼Songs I listened to whilst writing🎼

  • Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch OST
  • Genshin Impact OST For Mondstadt
  • Bullet Heaven 2 OST : Powerful and Bright

Introduction

Right,so it seems Kali Linux has finally seen fit to offer an upgrade to its version.
It’s been a fair old while mind you.
And,naturally,
before I even think about cracking on with a spot of bug hunting practice,
I suppose I’ll just have to get that upgrade sorted out immediately, won’t I?

📌 A Quick Summary

So, the upgrade to version 2025.3,then.
It appears to bring backNexmon support,
alongside achanged Vagrant build method
and a smattering of new tools you see.

The overall user experience is
actually rather decent,
quite usable, even. Though, one must be rather careful as
I did encounter some package conflicts and configuration
issues in a few instances, which frankly,
can be a bit of a nuisance.

1. Preparations Before Undertaking the Upgrade

  • First, one ought to verify the currently installed version:
    lsb_release -a OR /etc/os-release
  • Backup: Important configuration files
    (/etc/apt/sources.list, /etc/hosts, user home directory, and so on)
  • Next, the system update: 
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    $ sudo apt update
    $ sudo apt upgrade
    $ sudo apt dist-upgrade
  • (Optional) Do check whether the kali-archive-keyring is up-to-date —
    this helps in preventing any repository key conflicts, you see.
  • Finally, execute the upgrade command itself:
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    $ sudo apt full-upgrade

2025.3 Release: Key Changes Summarised

The following points highlight the main updates,
as referenced from the official blog
and release notes.

Item Changes Expected Impact / Points to Note
Nexmon Support Restored Enables Monitor Mode / Packet Injection
for Raspberry Pi’s built-in Wi-Fi		 Utilising the Pi for wireless
security assessments
becomes easier once again
(Kali Linux)
Vagrant Image Build Method Changed A new method has been adopted
no longer Packer-based (Kali Linux)		 If accustomed to the previous method,
one might notice differences during
the image regeneration process
Theme / Icon Update kali-themes 2025.3.0
package has been merged into rolling
(pkg.kali.org)		 Icons have changed,
some theme elements altered
New Tools & Package Updates Various hacking / pentesting tools
have been newly added or updated (Kali Linux)		 Plenty of new functionalities
to test out,see
Other Stabilisation Revisions&Bug Fixes Addresses existing package conflicts,
bolsters missing security patches,
etc.		 Some services may require a restart or settings re-
verification after the upgrade

3. My Impressions from Actual Use & Observed Changes

Here, one ought to note down their impressions,
naturally including the specifics of their own setup
(hardware specifications, intended usage, and such like) .

Below are a few examples of points one might consider :

✅ The Rather Favourable Points, Then

  • A discernibly snappier boot / reboot time,
    one might say.
  • Wi-Fi related tasks
    (particularly with Raspberry Pi and wireless penetration testing)
    felt considerably smoother,all thanks to the return of Nexmon.
  • A handful of the new tools proved themselves rather useful,
    I found.
  • A visually tidier experience overall,
    due to the theme and icon adjustments.

❌ What Didn’t Quite Work Out / Issues Noticed

  • Ran into a few conflicts with specific package versions
    (dependency issues, for instance).
  • The changes to themes and icons occasionally
    resulted in a bit of a mismatch with pre-existing configurations.
  • Following the upgrade, some services
    (such as network utilities or daemons)
    didn’t quite auto-start as expected, or
    their configurations got themselves in a bit of a tangle.
  • The documentation and guides are still rather
    lacking, one finds, requiring a bit more time than strictly necessary
    to get one’s head around the new changes.

⚙️ Performance Comparison (Ex.before vs after)

Metric Prior to Upgrade Post-Upgrade Change
Kernel Version Ex: 6.x Ex: 6.x+ ± Change
Memory Usage Ex: 500MB Ex: 520MB Slight Increase
CPU Load Low / Stable Same or More Stable –
Penetration Testing Tool Execution Speed Baseline Slightly Improved Against Baseline +

4. Upgrade Tips & Caveats

  • Check /etc/apt/sources.list : Do ensure the repositories are all correct, won’t you?
  • Beware of kali-archive-keyring conflicts : One might encounter key authentication errors, you see.
  • Backup is absolutely essential: Especially for any custom configuration files and,
    of course, your user data.
  • Do account for new theme / icon differences: The UI might well be rather different from what
    you’re accustomed to, so a period of adjustment will be required.
  • Method for resolving package conflicts:
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    $ sudo apt -f install
    $ sudo dpkg --configure -a
  • Check for any anomalies : after restarting services / rebooting.
  • Consult the documentation / manuals for changed tools :
    One will need to learn the usage of any
    new or altered tools, naturally.

5. Summary & Recommendation

Right, so, in summary, Kali Linux 2025.3 is, on the whole,
a rather significant upgrade,
bringing both feature enhancements and
a fair few new functionalities, you see.

Those who frequently engage in Raspberry Pi
wireless operations or indeed utilise Vagrant
environments are particularly likely to notice the improvements, one finds.

However, it’s worth noting that during the upgrade process itself,
one might well encounter a few inconveniences,
such as package conflicts or configuration issues getting a bit muddled, unfortunately.

As such, a thorough backup is absolutely essential,
and one would be well-advised to combine that with a careful,
step-by-step verification process.

6. 👉 My Adopted Method

Step.1 Existing Installation: Should one already have an existing
Kali Linux installation in place, a swift update can be performed at any given juncture.

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┌──(kali㉿kali)-[~]
└─$ echo "deb http://http.kali.org/kali kali-rolling main contrib non-free non-free-firmware" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list
[...]

┌──(kali㉿kali)-[~]
└─$ sudo apt update && sudo apt -y full-upgrade
[...]

┌──(kali㉿kali)-[~]
└─$ cp -vrbi /etc/skel/. ~/
[...]

┌──(kali㉿kali)-[~]
└─$ [ -f /var/run/reboot-required ] && sudo reboot -f

Step.2 Verification After Reboot: 

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┌──(kali㉿kali)-[~]
└─$ grep VERSION /etc/os-release
VERSION="2025.3"
VERSION_ID="2025.3"
VERSION_CODENAME="kali-rolling"

┌──(kali㉿kali)-[~]
└─$ uname -v
#1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Kali 6.12.38-1kali1 (2025-08-12)

┌──(kali㉿kali)-[~]
└─$ uname -r
6.12.38+kali-amd64

Link 1 : Kali Linux 2025.3 Release (Vagrant & Nexmon)
https://www.kali.org/blog/kali-linux-2025-3-release/


Link 2 : My Adopted Method
https://www.kali.org/blog/kali-linux-2025-3-release/